Looking Forward to IBM Connect 2016

In less than two weeks I am excited to attend IBM Connect 2016 in Orlando. It is now a full twenty years that I have worked in the yellow bubble.  I was just a newbie when I attended my first Lotusphere in 1996. I went again in 1999, and then not again for another fifthteen years until 2014. This will be my fourth time.

As is always the case, there are many great sessions this year. The sessions are only part of what makes the conference great, the other part is the people you meet.

These are my top 5 sessions that I am most looking forward to attending.

1) Real-Time Video Chat XPage Application Using Websockets and WebRTC Technologies:  This seems like a fascinating session and I am excited to hear from Csaba Kiss who I met at MWLUG this past August.

2) Optimus XPages: An Explosion of Techniques and Best Practices: I am excited to see my friend John Jardin again. He is a dynamic speaker with a passion to share knowledge.

3) The Grid, the Brad, and the Ugly: Using Grids to Improve Your Applications:  Brad Balassaitis's blog has been a huge help to nearly every XPages developer. It will be great to hear his latest take on the grid choices that we have now.

4) 'Marty, You're Just Not Thinking Fourth Dimensionally': Troubleshooting XPages: Paul Withers is a brilliant developer and I am really looking forward to his session.

5) Outside the Box: Integrating with Non-Domino Apps Using XPages and Java: This is an area where I have quite a bit of recent experience. It will be great to hear what Julian Robichaux and Kathy Brown have to say on the subject.

There are many other sessions I am looking forward to as well.  If you are still considering whether to attend the conference this year it is not too late. The nice thing this year about being off Disney property is that there are several nearby hotels within walking distance that have very reasonable prices.  

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

I also have unfinished business in thanking those who nominated me for IBM Champion. It is a great honor to have been chosen this year. I want to specifically thank Mark Roden who told me 2 years ago that I could be a champion. I didn't know what to think at the time, but that confidence did motivate and encourage me,